Cavy or Guinea pig

Scientific name: Cavia aperea
Size: 25-35cm long
Lifespan: 5-8 years
Natural range: grassland regions of South America

Housing

• standard solid bottom cavy or rabbit type cage
• should be about 1m long by 50cm wide for one
• females are social and should be housed in pairs
• males are territorial and should be housed alone, although there has been some success keeping males together if introduced at a young age
• Bedding: aspen
• Accessories: hideaway, chew toy

Food

• standard high quality commercial cavy pellet
• allow free access to timothy hay
• add a multivitamin specifically formulated for cavies to water source once weekly
• fresh fruit or veggies once a week
• avoid treat mixes with corn or shelled nuts

Breeding

• Maturity: 6 weeks old but should not be bred before 5-6 months old
• Gestation: 60-70 days
• Litter size: 1-4
• pregnant females should be housed individually
• young are born fully furred and open their eyes within hours of birth
• should be fully weaned by 3-4 weeks old